Clearing the Water: Now that Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has given its blessing, the Great Lakes Water Compact should breeze through the state Legislature when it convenes this week in a special session. Last week, Gov. Jim Doyle, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, environmental groups and industry representatives announced a compromise on the compact.

Plopping Pills: The danger of flushing pills down the drain or toilet has finally been brought to the attention of the masses as more and more evidence indicates that fish and other aquatic dwellers are ingesting everything from estrogen to steroids.

Waste treatment plants can't filter out pharmaceuticals even though it's been an ago-old tradition to flush the pills down the toilet. To help raise awareness the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District holds a collection so folks can bring in their pills for disposal. Legal ones only please.

"Medicine Collection Day" runs Saturday from 1 p.m. at one of six locations in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine and Washington Counties. Residents can drive or walk up to one of the collection areas and hand over unused medicine to a worker. Volunteer pharmacists from Aurora Pharmacy, Columbia St. Mary's and Costco will sort the meds into one of two categories. Medication should be in the original package or prescription bottle.
The locations are:

• Milwaukee County: Miller Park, Miller lot by the "sausage haus."
• Ozaukee County: Port Washington, Ozaukee County Highway Department, 410 S. Spring St., Port Washington; Mequon, Milwaukee Area Technical College
  5555 W. Highland Rd., Mequon.
• Racine County: 6200 21st St., Racine and 156 E. State St., Burlington.
• Washington County: Washington County Fair Park, 3000 Pleasant Valley Rd., West Bend.

For more information and collection site maps, visit: www.mmsd.com.